Nothing beats riding one's motorcycle

[davebullet]

A handsome ride. Some 544kms by my estimation.

For the descriptively challenged like me, here are some maps for the route the Hitchers took (pending QA). 3rd is the overall route. 1st is the Rangiwahia road section. 2nd, the Newman detour.

If you want to load the route yourself, here she is:
http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?f=d&so...3,4.938354&z=8

PS: Aprilia Shiver only $13,995 at the moment - brand spankers. Saw me one in Motorad.

Mr. Hitcher - have you upgraded the suspension on your Shiver?

[Paul in NZ]

Yes, sometime we either take our great fortune to live where and how we do for granted and other times we simply forget to enjoy our bikes. In my case its been a time of working in foreign parts with insufficient time to enjoy anything.

However last night I embarked on my of epic trip to the video shop via the beach (to check the weather / ocean in case it was better to go for a paddle / fish). No mighty Shiver nor trusty Triumph for this trip, no, the lime green AC50 / A100 hybrid was kicked into life and a blue smokey haze rose into the sky over Raumati South.

People react in two ways to the mighty 50. The raucous crackle of the pipe suits a bigger vehicle but its too much for some. These scowly faced cumudgeons don't see the humour of such a thing or I expect anything so I tend to ignore them. Others smile and swinging through the bends by the shops (having purchased yet another 'winning' lotto ticket) one lady not old enough to even remember 1971 pointed and laughed out loud.

Apart from this - there was only 1 'I used to have one of those' incident and soon I was at home. Not 544km, barely 5km but it was still fun - hilarious fun and it made my day brighter.

[sinfull]

Yep, was one of those days yesterday, where i missed doing a track day due to a 3 am finish at my daughters 16th, so moped around on here, reading depressing whinge threads for the first part of a late start !
Then a 2 pm appointment for my lovely Heidi meant we couldn't get away till 3, so while she was out i dragged her little (soon to be redundant) scorpio out and squirted a bit of air in its inflatables while waiting !
She hasn't ridden the thing for months, due to the fact she actually prefers to go pillion on most of our rides, seeing the average speed is usually slightly more than the scorp can handle !
My boy had stayed overnight after the 16th and needed to be at work in PAraparaumu by 4, so that was an excuse for a short ride without getting tangled in the bumper traffic !
So a quick stop at the Waikanae gasso to refresh her stale fuel and we went for a 40 min loop around the coast, sticking to 50 kph areas as much as possible, haha found that 3rd gear was the best for the FXR, to avoid the chug chug of a slightly out of tune, lumpy cam combination !
Confidence is what Heidi wants to build, so we went hunting for slow urban windies with as little traffic as possible, we found a few for her to sweep round, while i zigzagged in and out of a few white lines and played slow races with other traffic at intersections !

Not the distance i would have liked, but funnily enough i really enjoyed the relaxing pootle !

Might have a wee ganda at the rain radar and perhaps persuade Heidi that we need to follow that very same route you took, just to do a speedo callibration !

[Tink]

Thanks Hitcher, I also enjoyed that post, believe it or not! :

I ride the Franklin rodes for my confidence, and when we do spread further afield I tend to slow down a lot... Heidi obviously has a good mentor! As to the Franklin roads, I am still in awe of you guys on Victories such nice solid good looking bikes, way to big for me to ever own one. My heart goes out to the great guy ... and his family!

[yungatart]

Sounds like a lovely day, Hitch. Nothing beats riding motorcycles witht he love of your life, eh?
Sadly, our little jaunt was cut short, and with family arriving today from Yrup, we won't get a chance to go out....

[bezajel]

Great post Hitcher. I've been very much appreciating riding in the last few weeks, even my very wet (and subsequently very cold) ride to Palmy via SH2 last Sunday. Loving it

[Hitcher]

A handsome ride. Some 544kms by my estimation.

For the descriptively challenged like me, here are some maps for the route the Hitchers took (pending QA). 3rd is the overall route. 1st is the Rangiwahia road section. 2nd, the Newman detour.

PS: Aprilia Shiver only $13,995 at the moment - brand spankers. Saw me one in Motorad.

Mr. Hitcher - have you upgraded the suspension on your Shiver?

Sir, you are a Prince. Thanks for those maps! And your distance estimate is pretty much spot on.

My Shiver will be off to see Mr R Taylor in New Plymouth presently. My recent experience on a KTM 990 SMT reminded me what a great investment really good suspension is.

A Shiver is an exceptionally good motorcycle and would be even better with sexier suspenders.

The Shiver at Motorad is a 2008 model year. People should only buy this on the condition that Motorad replace the speed sensor and retape the connections as specified by Aprilia prior to purchase. Of course they won't do that. They don't appear to believe anything about my experience last year with Triumph NZ Ltd and that the issues I experienced were reasonably common amongst all 2008 Shivers.

Whoops. I am becoming unduly negative. Slaps self on face.

[OutForADuck]

Whoops. I am becoming unduly negative. Slaps self on face.

Hitch, having spent all the weekend in the garage either painting or between coats drying, trying to get the track bike ready, I have not had a ride all weekend.

After all that is what we are all about, even a nice little pottle out to the a coffee shop for lunch would have been enough, but then what do I find, a great report from your good self and not a negative whinge in site... Sir you are a scholar and a gentleman.

[sinned]

Nothing beats riding one's motorcycle.

I thought I'd break with my recent practice of not posting ride reports and see if it rekindles interest from Kiwi Biker contributors in discussing the joys of motorcycling, rather than the incessant whingeing that seems to have become the usual form of discourse on this forum. Indeed I've been guilty of it myself.

I have just completed 3 days and close to 1000kms in a cage so tend to agree that nothing beats riding one's motorcycle. BTW plenty of bikes on the road this weekend - not mine though.
Please post more positive stuff - I believe there are more than a few of use who appreciate it.

[shafty]

That is indeed a great route, well done. I have good memories of those roads and look forward to revisiting them.

And Cheers DB for the great maps. Great post, good reminder.

[FatHead]

Being relatively new to this site I stumbled across this thread and thought hey why not I had a nice ride recenty so I will share.

Kicking off in Waikanae on the lovely Kapiti coast I set out on my 5 day adventure to the winterless north with much gusto and limited long haul experience on the latest steed one 1993 GTR1000.
(My trips on black beauty are normally limited to commuting Home to Welly and back each day with my longest trip so far being a jaunt to see little Bro in Dannivegas.)

Saddled up and set off first stop was to be Ohakune for a Mountain Kebab ( have been hankering for one for some time but we dont go this way very often any more), happens that my situpon was not up to that distance in one hop so a quick stop at the gas station south end of Waiuru and a chat to some south islanders that I came across on a BMW gave me a short tooshy break then onward to Ohakune and one of the better Mountain Kebabs I have had.

After a nice break and a bit of Human fuel I was off to my next stop in Taumarunui to get Go juice for the rest of the first days ride. Fueled up and set off for gordonton to meet with a great guy who sells MB Accessories on line to return some gloves that were on the small side, return completed after a chat about his steed and I was off to my final destination for the day in Albany. The gods being unkind I hit the Auckland southern parking lot just as it was filling up for the days commute home, Bike at high temp I stopped at Greenlane "Mick and Donalds" (arent the phrases of our children great) for a bite and a get out of traffic break.

Day 2 saw an afternoon start as my riding companion for the day was working until mid day so I went and spent some time at Motomail and found someone who was willing to expend some time assisting with finding my first pair of proper riding boots (which I later purchased after a very leaky commute in my old work boots). This leg was Auckland to Taipa (Far North) to see my parents for a couple of nights.

Having done the visit on Day 3, day 4 was back to Auckland with minimum fuss. Next Morning (day5) I was advised that a Zero Dark 30 start was in order to avoid the Northern Parking Lot so it was that my riding buddy and I set out minus Breakfast for Putaruru (his destination for the day). Turned off at the thames junction from the motorway and blipped along some nice roads as the sun riz from the hills to our left. Went for a nice biker style breakfast in Tirau and then on to Putaruru where I lost my riding companion.

Here comes the good bit that wasn't planned. Having left Putaruru Heading out I spotted a sign in
Tokoroa pointing at Turangi, I have always previously had reason to head to Rotorua or Taupo on the trip south so had never been this way before so figured hey why not! I turned off and found a gas spot (was only half way into a tank but figured safe rather than stopped in the middle of nowhere was a go). Then set off into the unknown. No sooner had I left suburbia than I found some of the nicest roads one could want on 2 wheels with nice long sweeping corners and some great views of the lake and came out at a familiar crossroads at the north end of the desert road. I had plenty of gas so blasted off in a southerly direction home.

A great extended weekend with just myself and the road for most of the trip. Must do again as soon as the brownie points accumulate enough.

My only gripe (yes I had to get one in) was the dozen or so times that I was halted from the easy flow by our every present firends with lollypop sticks and bright orange vests.I know this time of year they are out to get as much done in the fine weather as they can but waiting for over 3 minutes behind a set of temporary lights is not great when the temperature needle is heading for the red zone. #gripe end#

If I can work out how its done I will add some pics from my furthest north destination.

[Genie]

I got out on my bike today, I really should have cleaned the flithy beast before public display but it was a spur of the moment decision to ride to work. Only 10 minutes each way but I got to look at my bike parked up by the sea in between coffee's.
Every corner there and back was smooth, each gear change up and down was fluid, wasn't quite Chch and back but still a ride none the less.
I just love to ride my bike.
Tomorrow is cleaning day and I shall make my bike shine!

[Maha]

I should be doing the very same Genie.
Had good intentions of cleaning it today when I got home, let it cool for a couple of hours but the motor was still 63degs.
So maybe in the morning?
Still, got out for a ride at least, thats what counts I guess.

[H00dz]

Awesome post, Heading down to Welly for the first time from Gisborne and looking forward to it. Any tips or road that shold not be missed????

[Toaster]

Good ride report. Great ride up that way and some very nice scenery. I am keen to plod along that way again when time permits.

Yes it is indeed good to see some 1. bike/biker related stories posted and 2. something positive.

I am all for humour and having a dig at your mates with clever witty comments/jibes, but some of the obviously crap-mouthed abuse people dish out is a tad pathetic.